BONANZA, Ore. – Firefighters made significant progress yesterday to strengthen and secure control lines along the fire’s perimeter. Ridgetop winds in the late afternoon increased fire activity in the southeast corner of the fire. Fire crews and air resources quickly moved in to address the heightened activity. Along the northwest and northeast side of the fire, crews have plumbed hose lines and conducted cold trailing operations to identify and eliminate residual heat.
Crews on the southeastern edge of the fire are actively engaged in lining and mopping up several spot fires that were detected and caught early. These efforts, combined with vigilant patrols, are helping keep the fire in check.
“We’re in a strong position going into the weekend,” said Incident Commander Joe Hessel. “The work completed by these crews has put us in a good position as the weather begins to shift.”
Forecasted conditions through Monday—including rising temperatures, gusty afternoon winds, and lower overnight humidity—will test control lines and encourage interior pockets of unburned vegetation to ignite. These conditions are expected and will aid firefighters in consuming fuels safely within the fire’s perimeter under watchful eyes.
With continued progress and improved containment, two Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) structural task forces will be released from the incident and return to their home jurisdictions to remain available for local response. Remaining task forces and crews will maintain structure protection operations and support wildland operations.
The Klamath County Sheriff lowered some evacuation levels around the Elk Fire. For the latest evacuation information, please visit: https://protect.genasys.com/search